White Lead

White lead I think was lead carbonate.  it was the base component in lead base paints.  It was also used. mixed with oil and a dryer, as putty, mostly in work working.  Due to the toxicity of lead, not much white lead is used any more.  

I do not know how it would have been used on a steam locomotive, but is has good properties to prevent corrosion and wood rot.

as David mentions, red lead was used extensively in wooden boat building as a wood preservative below the waterline, prior to or instead of, an anti-fouling paint on the bottom.

I too would be interested in knowing how the white lead was used.

I seem to remember reading that when a stem loco was put into storage, that the valve gear, side rods, etc were painted in white lead.  When the loco was pulled from storage to run again, the painted parts were hit with a hammer.  If there was a crack or other problem with the part, a line of oil would show where the issue was.

Back when the DSMR had a layout, one of our members had a pair of ATSF Mikes doubleheaded.  One was in white lead and really stood out.  

Erik, do you have a photo?

ChipR

Seem to recall a photograph (in Classic Trains?) of a  UP 4-8-4 being rushed back into service in a business upturn, still covered in red lead. The need was too immediate to remove the red lead.

I worked in the Santa Fe Topeka Shops in the early 70's, when they built new box & MTC cars there. In the High Bay they assembled the car body. Every where there was a hand hold or bracket rived, or Huck bolted to the body, the area was painted with red lead. When the end sill halves were riveted together and to the end of the body, the whole metal to metal joint area was first smeared with red lead as a corrosion preventative I guess. It was a thick, orange substance like a very thick paint. In the wheel shop, they used the same stuff only it was "white" on axle wheel seats as a lube when they pressed new wheels on axles. You could usually see it running down the back of the wheel when they were done.